The Shandong China-Europe freight train Southeast Asia (Vientiane) logistics hub in Laos commenced operations on May 20. This marks the evolution of the China-Europe freight train from a single logistics channel into an economic artery linking the Eurasian continent.

"Southeast Asian goods can reach Europe via the China-Laos railway and Shandong China-Europe trains, extending our business across the whole chain from Southeast Asia to Europe," said Hu Jianbo, executive director of Sinotrans Logistics (Laos branch).

Centered on the Indo-China Peninsula, Laos borders five countries – China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar – making it a pivotal international logistics hub.

This center, established by Shandong High-Speed Group, leverages the advantages of the China-Laos Railway, which has significantly shortened transportation time between China's southwest and ASEAN countries from over 20 days to less than three days.

The center will serve as a core node of Shandong's southbound international transport corridor, connecting with emerging economies in the Indo-China Peninsula and Southeast Asia. It will also enhance the efficiency of logistics for Shandong's foreign trade enterprises, providing more options and reducing risks.

Shandong High-Speed Group has built an international logistics corridor connecting East Asia, Europe, Central Asia, and ASEAN. By April this year, over 12,000 Shandong China-Europe trains had run on 56 routes, reaching 59 cities in 27 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.